Number One
by Triickster
Summary: Oneshot Niou had made her cry again, or was it really him?


This fic was produced after the Yukimura versus Echizen match. I'm truly biased so I wanted Rikkai to win. But oh well. Read and Enjoy!

(The story is set in their third year of High School. Though their in a higher grade, the events from the Prince of Tennis story is the same.)

**Disclaimer: All characters and settings of Prince of Tennis belong to Konomi and it's rightful distributors. I own nothing except my OC, Himeno Nodoka.**

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"Number One"

"Oi, Niou-senpai! What did you do?" Kirihara asked in bewilderment and pure concern. Marui peered over his kouhai and saw what he inquired the Trickster about and sighed inwardly. Akaya immediately sat beside Nodoka's curled up form and hugged her, pushing Niou out of the bench.

"I didn't do anything, brat." Niou denied and waved his hands infront of him in pure disproof. "And I'll get you back for pushing me."

"Niou, what did you do this time?" Marui accused the silver haired trickster. The redheaded tensai also did the same and consolingly placed his arms around their usually cheerful manager.

"Shut up, strawberry. I said I didn't do anything." He claimed again, shaking his head. The group, composing of Yukimura, Sanada, Yagyuu, Yanagi and Jackal finally emerged from the club room after changing into their school uniforms and fresh from showering. Kirihara, Marui and Niou we're always the fastest ones to finish. The scene immediately drew concern from the newly arrived group.

"What happened here?" Sanada asked strictly but a hint of worry surfaced from his voice. He walked over to Nodoka and heard faint hiccups, signaling only one thing.

"Nana is crying." The regulars didn't know whether to be surprised at Yanagi not using his percentage talk or that Niou has successfully made their manager cry, for the nth time. The regulars all gave the flushed Trickster a peeved glare.

Yagyuu shook his head in disbelief. "I'm amazed, Niou-kun. Nodoka-chan is you're closest friend and yet you manage to make her cry every time." He commented ruefully. He handed his handkerchief to her and patted her head softly.

"As I've said! I did not do anything to her!" Niou interjected. He attempted to go near Nodoka but Marui and Kirihara blocked him.

"I was just telling her a story." He breathed in and out; an attempt to calm himself.

"About?" Jackal asked.

"About the Kantou finals during junior high."

The regulars looked at each other. The bare mention of the finals in their third year in junior high had bittersweet memories for all of them. Then suddenly, Nodoka's voice started to speak.

"Haru…. Didn't…. do… anything…" She inserted in between hiccups of tears. She wiped them away gracefully; the regulars could only wait for her further explanation.

"See!" Niou exclaimed in relief. He immediately pushed Kirihara off the bench.

"Ow! Senpai!" Akaya wailed disapprovingly.

"Saa, ojo, why are you crying then?" Yukimura, who has been watching the whole thing beside Sanada, queried with a gentle voice. His smile ever so present on his delicate face.

Nodoka looked at Yukimura and then sighed. "It's because of you guys." She muttered.

"What?" Came the immediate chorused reply. All of the regulars looked taken aback from her confession, even Sanada looked ridiculously surprised.

"I know that Rikkai, ouja Rikkai, has always prioritized winning. No matter what, overcome the obstacles and emerge as the undeniable winners. In fact, it's what made Rikkai such a formidable team to beat." Tears started to well-up again in her mellow eyes. "But everything that occurred to achieve that sought after victory… it just made me brokenhearted…" She cried again but in a quieter manner.

"Aka-kun had to be injured so badly to make him realize his limit and even transcended the Devil form. Gen-gen's leg being pushed to such an extent and Kunimitsu's…. don't get me started on him."

Silence loomed over the group but every one still blamed Niou for Nodoka's tears.

Rikkai's valuable manager had always been kept at the dark about that particular Kantou tournament. Until today when the trickster had mouthed off about it; Yukimura had known this would be her reaction.

"C'mon now, Nana-chan." Marui started. "It wasn't that bad; we're fine now aren't we?" He gave out a nervous laugh.  
"Besides, it was all in good effort." Yagyuu added.

Suddenly, low giggles resonated from Nodoka which only puzzled the team further.

"Nodoka?" They all said in unison.

"Y-you guys are so stubborn!" She suddenly exclaimed and laughed. Nodoka didn't know why she was laughing but she was; happy but crying. "Sorry, I just felt like crying when I heard the story….. I was… in a way, moved." Then, she smiled warmly at them. They all understood that the tears she shed were the love she had for the team.

"Darn it hime, don't make us worry like that." Niou crooned as he abruptly pulled Nodoka into a tight hug. He sighed with relief knowing that he didn't cause her tears again like he did in previous times. Marui and Kirihara then yanked the silver haired boy away so that they could hug her instead.

"I was moved too, nee-chan!" Akaya claimed.

"Don't cry again, Nana-chan!" Marui scolded the same time Kirihara said his claim with a somber expression.

Chuckles filled the atmosphere and the tension finally slipped away.

"Hey! I know a good way to lighten up." The redheaded tensai suddenly blurted with a fist striking into the air. "Karaoke!"

"Right, right! We should go senpai-tachi!" Kirihara seconded with a beaming smile.

"We haven't heard Nodoka's singing for a long while now." Jackal nodded.

"How about it, Genichirou-kun?"

Sanada suddenly felt uncomfortable; singing was definitely not for him. The youngest Sanada had never been able to carry a tune and he dreaded that.

"I… uhm…"

"Genichirou, I think Nodoka would like for you to be there." Yukimura suddenly interjected. It was a gentle statement but if you knew the always smiling buchou, you would know that it was a subtle order to come.

"Of course."

"Then it's settled." Yukimura's smile widened.

Niou draped his school jacket on Nodoka's shoulders as she got up and grabbed her bag from the bench.

"I'll take care of this for you, love."

"Thank you Haru."

"Shall we go?" Yanagi offered, leading the way with Sanada at the front. Kirihara and Marui we're already in a fight to who was the best at karaoke while Yukimura watched in amusement without breaking up the conflict. Yagyuu and Jackal both emerged themselves in a conversation planning on which songs they would sing.

_Yep, this is definitely Rikkai. _Nodoka thought happily.

"Ouja Rikkai will always be number one." She whispered contently.

"Did you say something, Nana?" Niou asked while walking beside her behind the group. He noticed the one-of-a-kind smile she had on and couldn't help but smile too. Only for the trickster, it was more of a smirk.

"Oh, nothing." She giggled. "I'm excited for the karaoke!"

Then he decided not prod, satisfied with her usual, cheery response.

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Haha, so how was it? Thanks for reading! Review?


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